Calorie Conscious Restaurant Opens in Greenvale

Not all calories are absorbed the same. Some provide nutrients, others have no health benefits and are considered “empty.” Opened in Greenvale in May, Lo-Cal Kitchen’s menu attempts to make every calorie count by focusing on nourishment.

“We call our food “calorie conscious,” which means we care about the quality of the calories in addition to the number of calories,” said Jeffrey Feinstein, who opened the 28-seat restaurant with his wife, Debra. “We make every effort to remove what we consider to be empty calories.”

To ensure this is possible, Lo-Cal Kitchen greatly reduces sugar and refined carbohydrates while increasing the amount of plant-based products in recipes. The restaurant also focuses on using lean proteins like 100 percent breast meat in chicken and turkey and 93 percent lean grass fed and finished ground beef.

The menu touches on a little bit of everything, including breakfast, smoothies, juice, salads, grain bowls, burgers and sandwiches, soups and chilis. Standouts include the breakfast power bowl (kale quinoa, roasted sweet potato, roasted broccoli and caramelized onions topped with a fried egg and a housemade pico de gallo) and the tropical sunrise, a smoothie made up of mango, banana, pineapple coconut water and honey. The lean and mean, a Bison burger with egg whites, caramelized onions, housemade blueberry ketchup, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato on a whole grain wheat bun, is also one for the books.

The flavor profiles make it tempting to indulge, but the amount of calories in each dish is listed on the menu so customers don’t have to think twice. “Consuming too many calories leads to weight issues, which pose significant health risks over time.”

And to keep customers inspired, the place is filled with motivational messaging like, “Your personal fitness is not about anyone else—it’s about being better than you used to be.” Feinstein added, “The look and feel mirrors our thoughts about our food.”